MADRID, Nov 26 (EUROPA PRESS) – Atlético de Madrid coach Diego Pablo Simeone said his compatriot Julián Álvarez is “gaining momentum” while donning the red and white jersey. Álvarez scored a superb brace in the crushing 6-0 victory over Sparta Prague in the 5th round of the Champions League group stage on Tuesday.
“He is a player with great presence and proven quality. Clearly, he had exceptional performances at River Plate, he excelled at Manchester City and shone with the Argentina national team. He is gradually gaining momentum with us We anticipate the best from him, because he is young. There is great promise for the present and the future, and I hope we can support his progress in all aspects,” said ‘Cholo’. Simeone during the conference press.
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Despite this historic victory for Atlético in the Czech capital, the Argentine coach remained cautious. “I think there were other very important matches as well. Today the team started by understanding the opponent’s needs. We took the match where we wanted it to go,” he explained from the O2 Arena.
“We started to generate dangerous situations: there was Giuliano’s header which just missed, followed by Julián’s superb free-kick; then Sorloth had a chance which the goalkeeper saved beautifully, and it was obvious that we had need more goals in this first half depending on the team’s performance,” he added.
“The second goal came, and at that moment we went into the dressing room knowing that we had to keep pushing to create opportunities to dictate the game the way we wanted. I believe the second half was even better than the first, with the team including everything from those who started to those who entered, it doesn’t matter how they entered, even if the result was very positive, because there is always the risk of “a drop in intensity and effort,” said the boss of Atlético.
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In this regard, he said: “The four who came on, especially at the end, added more speed and intensity to the team and were eager to continue pushing towards the opponent’s goal.” “And I leave satisfied with everything I share,” he added. “They already know me, the new ones are getting to know me, and we communicated to help them integrate faster too,” Simeone concluded during the press conference.
“What is clear is that the team is everyone, and since we are all part of this, we need time for the team to build on those who start. In the end, we let’s not approach the match thinking only about the starters; we consider the full 90 minutes and how to continue looking for more The other day we improved as the match against Alavés progressed, and today it did. was the same with others players, responding perfectly to a collective effort,” he underlined.
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“The difference is always in the goals. When you are consistent, opinions like this emerge. When you fail to be efficient and cannot put the ball in the back of the net despite the chances, it results in a lack of favorable feedback,” he expressed regarding criticism during difficult times.
“Winning always makes me happy. Clearly, when the team has the chance to continue playing and scoring goals, like they did today, it’s even better. However, we have to stay grounded and maintain the humility that we have always embraced, let us not forget certain elements to remain strong and aware that in football, we live for today, and this match is already behind us,” he warned.
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Furthermore, Simeone stressed that in this Champions League format, “everything counts” and that “everything will count.” “I don’t know how far we’ll go; let’s hope for the best for the team, but the intention was there, and we obviously saw the opportunity to continue to press to create chances that could benefit us at the future, which the team interpreted very well,” he highlighted.
Finally, he expressed his joy that Koke Resurrección and Antoine Griezmann have both reached the milestone of 100 games with Atlético in the prestigious continental tournament. “The truth is that Griezmann and Koke always give, have given and will give their best in every game they play. And they will continue to do so as long as they are at the club, without a doubt,” he said. -he concluded.
